Guidelines for consistent reporting of exchanges/to nature within life cycle inventories (LCI)

Data availability and data quality are still critical factors for successful LCA work. The SETAC-Europe LCA Working Group ‘Data Availability and Data Quality’ has therefore focused on ongoing developments toward a common data exchange format, public databases and accepted quality measures to find science-based solutions than can be widely accepted. A necessary prerequisite for the free flow and exchange of life cycle inventory (LCI) data and the comparability of LCIs is the consistent definition, nomenclature, and use of inventory parameters. This is the main subject of the subgroup ‘Recommended List of Exchanges’ that presents its results and findings here:

Application of a Life Cycle Model for European Union Policy‐Driven Waste Management Decision Making in Emerging Economies

Solid waste life cycle modeling has predominantly focused on developed countries, but there are significant opportunities to assist developing and transition economies to minimize the environmental impact of solid waste management (SWM). Serbia is representative of a transition country and most (92%) of its waste is landfilled. As a Candidate European Union (EU) country, Serbia is expected to implement SWM strategies that meet EU directives. The Solid Waste Life‐Cycle Optimization Framework (SWOLF) was used to evaluate scenarios that meet EU goals by 2030. Scenarios included combinations of landfills, anaerobic digestion, composting, material recovery facilities (MRFs), waste‐to‐energy (WTE) combustion, and the use of refuse‐derived fuel in cement kilns. Each scenario was evaluated with and without separate collection of recyclables. Modeled impacts included cost, climate change, cumulative fossil energy demand, acidification, eutrophication, photochemical oxidation, total eco‐toxicity, and total human toxicity. Trade‐offs among the scenarios were evaluated because no scenario performed best in every category. In general, SWM strategies that incorporated processes that recover energy and recyclable materials performed well across categories, whereas scenarios that did not include energy recovery performed poorly. Emissions offsets attributable to energy recovery and reduced energy requirements associated with remanufacturing of recovered recyclables had the strongest influence on the results. The scenarios rankings were robust under parametric sensitivity analysis, except when the marginal electricity fuel source changed from coal to natural gas. Model results showed that the use of existing infrastructure, energy recovery, and efficient recovery of recyclables from mixed waste can reduce environmental emissions at relatively low cost.     

p53 and Translation Attenuation Regulate Distinct Cell Cycle Checkpoints during Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) Stress

Cell cycle checkpoints ensure that proliferation occurs only under permissive conditions, but their role in linking nutrient availability to cell division is incompletely understood. Protein folding within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is exquisitely sensitive to energy supply and amino acid sources because deficiencies impair luminal protein folding and consequently trigger ER stress signaling. Following ER stress, many cell types arrest within the G₁ phase, although recent studies have identified a novel ER stress G₂ checkpoint. Here, we report that ER stress affects cell cycle progression via two classes of signal: an early inhibition of protein synthesis leading to G₂ delay involving CHK1 and a later induction of G₁ arrest associated both with the induction of p53 target genes and loss of cyclin D1. We show that substitution of p53/47 for p53 impairs the ER stress G₁ checkpoint, attenuates the recovery of protein translation, and impairs induction of NOXA, a mediator of cell death. We propose that cell cycle regulation in response to ER stress comprises redundant pathways invoked sequentially first to impair G₂ progression prior to ultimate G₁ arrest.     

System xc? and Thioredoxin Reductase 1 Cooperatively Rescue Glutathione Deficiency

GSH is the major antioxidant and detoxifier of xenobiotics in mammalian cells. A strong decrease of intracellular GSH has been frequently linked to pathological conditions like ischemia/reperfusion injury and degenerative diseases including diabetes, atherosclerosis, and neurodegeneration. Although GSH is essential for survival, the deleterious effects of GSH deficiency can often be compensated by thiol-containing antioxidants. Using three genetically defined cellular systems, we show here that forced expression of xCT, the substrate-specific subunit of the cystine/glutamate antiporter, in γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase knock-out cells rescues GSH deficiency by increasing cellular cystine uptake, leading to augmented intracellular and surprisingly high extracellular cysteine levels. Moreover, we provide evidence that under GSH deprivation, the cytosolic thioredoxin/thioredoxin reductase system plays an essential role for the cells to deal with the excess amount of intracellular cystine. Our studies provide first evidence that GSH deficiency can be rescued by an intrinsic genetic mechanism to be considered when designing therapeutic rationales targeting specific redox enzymes to combat diseases linked to GSH deprivation.     

Both Forward and Reverse TCA Cycles Operate in Green Sulfur Bacteria

The anoxygenic green sulfur bacteria (GSBs) assimilate CO₂ autotrophically through the reductive (reverse) tricarboxylic acid (RTCA) cycle. Some organic carbon sources, such as acetate and pyruvate, can be assimilated during the phototrophic growth of the GSBs, in the presence of CO₂ or HCO₃⁻. It has not been established why the inorganic carbonis required for incorporating organic carbon for growth and how the organic carbons are assimilated. In this report, we probed carbon flux during autotrophic and mixotrophic growth of the GSB Chlorobaculum tepidum. Our data indicate the following: (a) the RTCA cycle is active during autotrophic and mixotrophic growth; (b) the flux from pyruvate to acetyl-CoA is very low and acetyl-CoA is synthesized through the RTCA cycle and acetate assimilation; (c) pyruvate is largely assimilated through the RTCA cycle; and (d) acetate can be assimilated via both of the RTCA as well as the oxidative (forward) TCA (OTCA) cycle. The OTCA cycle revealed herein may explain better cell growth during mixotrophic growth with acetate, as energy is generated through the OTCA cycle. Furthermore, the genes specific for the OTCA cycle are either absent or down-regulated during phototrophic growth, implying that the OTCA cycle is not complete, and CO₂ is required for the RTCA cycle to produce metabolites in the TCA cycle. Moreover, CO₂ is essential for assimilating acetate and pyruvate through the CO₂-anaplerotic pathway and pyruvate synthesis from acetyl-CoA.     

Effect of latanoprost on intraocular pressure,visual acuity and C-reactive protein

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of latanoprost on intraocular pressure (IOP), visual acuity and C-reactive protein (CRP) in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).MethodsA total of 163 POAG patients (266 eyes) admitted to our hospital from February 2015 to July 2017 were selected and divided into observation group (81 cases, 132 eyes, latanoprost eye drops) and control group (82 cases, 134 eyes, timolol maleate eye drops) according to different treatment plans. The clinical efficacy of the two groups after treatment was evaluated. The IOP, visual acuity and CRP level were compared between the two groups before and after treatment. Then the adverse reactions of the two groups were observed and recorded.ResultsAfter treatment, the total effective rate was 92.59% (75 cases) in the observation group and was 80.49% (66 cases) in the control group, with statistic difference between groups (P < 0.05); The IOP, visual acuity and CRP level between the two groups before treatment showed no statistic difference, the mentioned three indexes of the two groups were significantly improved after treatment, and statistic difference was found before and after treatment (P < 0.05); Moreover, the above three indicators had statistically significant differences between groups after treatment (P < 0.05); The difference of intraocular pressure and visual acuity between the two groups before and after treatment were statistically different (P < 0.05); After treatment, the incidence of adverse reactions in the observation group such as allergy, vomiting, breathlessness and tachycardia were not significantly different from those in the control group (P > 0.05).ConclusionLatanoprost can improve IOP, visual acuity, and CRP levels. It improves eye hemodynamics, and has significant efficacy in treating primary open-angle glaucoma. Also, it has good security.     

How many for dinner? Recruitment and monitoring by glances in capuchins

Group members present physical and physiological differences according to their age, sex or social status, which could generate motivation differences among individuals during travel. In spite of these divergences of interest among individuals, the group succeeds more often than not in making a collective decision about departure time and which direction to take. To reach a consensus decision, animals should exchange information relating to characteristics of group movement through different communication channels. The main purpose of this study is to understand the function of behaviour patterns displayed during movements of white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus). We designed experiments in which we provoked collective movements involving a binary choice. During experiments, a video camera recorded the behaviour of each capuchin, which enabled us to determine which individuals displayed a behavioural pattern during travel and how this behaviour influenced the other group members. We found that looking backwards seemed to permit the recruitment of group mates during collective movement. This behaviour also seemed to allow the quantification of the number of followers, since the emitter modified its locomotion speed according to this number. In this preliminary study, we showed that visual behaviour was used to recruit and monitor group mates during collective movements and provided information on mechanisms involved in maintaining cohesion and coordination among group members during travel.     

中国对虾维生素营养的研究:Ⅰ.维生素A对中国对虾生长及视觉器官的影响

本文研究维生素Ａ对中国对虾（Ｐｅｎａｅｕｓ　ｃｈｉｎｅｎｓｉｓ）生长及视觉器官的影响,获得如下结果：１．体长 ４ｃｍ、体重１ｇ小虾对饲料中ＶＡ的最适添加量为 １８,０００ ＩＵ／１００ｇ饲料,体长８ｃｍ,体重７ｇ大虾对饲料 中ＶＡ的最适添加量为１２,０００ ＩＵ／１００ｇ饲料,在ＶＡ最适添加量下,对虾增长、增重最快,饲料系数最 低。２．中国对虾的视网膜电图在暗适应条件下有ｂ、ｃ、ｄ三波,在白、蓝、黄三种光照刺激下,只有Ａ３组 （１２,０００ＩＵ／１００ｇ饲料）其视网膜电位达最高值,即ｂ波振幅达２．４５ｍＶ,ｄ波振幅达３．７ｍＶ,表明ＶＡ 在最适添加量下,视觉反应灵敏,视觉功能正常; ３．ＶＡ最适添加量的 Ａ３组对虾眼组织完整、无畸变, 而ＶＡ含量过高或不足各组,其小眼、视网膜、髓体、Ｘ－器官等都有不同程度的畸变、不完整、干瘪等现 象,表明ＶＡ投喂量不当时,会引起视觉器官的发育障碍或病变。     

凋亡和周期基因芯片研究As2O3对NB4细胞凋亡相关基因表达谱的影响

目的:利用细胞凋亡和周期基因芯片研究As₂O₃作用前后NB4细胞基因表达谱的差异性,寻找As₂O₃诱导NB4细胞凋亡的相关基因并分析其可能机制。方法:流式细胞仪检测细胞凋亡率,抽提对照及诱导组细胞的mRNA,通过逆转录将As₂O₃处理前后的NB4细胞cDNA进行生物素标记,用含269个目的基因的细胞凋亡和周期基因芯片进行杂交,GEArray软件分析,筛选出As₂O₃诱导前后表达有差异的基因。芯片结果用荧光定量聚合酶链反应(realtimepolymerasechainreaction)进行验证。结果:筛选出As₂O₃作用前后表达有差异的基因共100条(占芯片基因总数的37.2%),其中97条(97/100,97%)基因表达上调,3条(3/100,3%)基因表达下调。表达上调的基因主要包括肿瘤坏死因子配体和受体家族、bcl2家族、半胱氨酸家族、DNA损伤检测和P53途径以及细胞分裂周期蛋白和激酶等基因。结论:As₂O₃主要通过上调促凋亡基因表达来诱导NB4细胞凋亡,其中TNFSF15、Apaf1、Caspase3和p16等基因可能参与As₂O₃诱导的NB4细胞凋亡,As₂O₃诱导NB4细胞凋亡的可能机制主要涉及TNF途径、线粒体途径、Caspase途径、细胞周期抑制途径和P53途径等。